When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.
2 And put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.
4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it.
5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
6 Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, or desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, and waste your compliments.
7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, and waste your compliments.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not move the ancient boundary or go into the fields of the fatherless,
11 For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to discipline and your ears to words of knowledge.
11 For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to discipline and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol.
14 You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol.
15 My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;
16 And my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
16 And my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always.
18 Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
18 Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
22 Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
26 Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27 For a harlot is a deep pit and an adulterous woman is a narrow well.
28 Surely she lurks as a robber, and increases the faithless among men.
27 For a harlot is a deep pit and an adulterous woman is a narrow well.
28 Surely she lurks as a robber, and increases the faithless among men.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long over wine, those who go to taste mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.
35 “They struck me, but I did not become ill; they beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”
30 Those who linger long over wine, those who go to taste mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.
35 “They struck me, but I did not become ill; they beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”
It is God's will:
- that our passion to work, or our dreams for the future, is not about getting rich (23:4-5)
- that we are careful not to be deceived when flattered or wine-and-dined (23:1-3)
- that we do not get pulled into the lifestyle of selfish and self-centered people (23:6-8)
- that we do not steal land from our neighbor's (23:10)
- that we do not take from the poor (23:10)
- that we do not envy sinners (23:17)
- that we do not associate with drunks or gluttons (23:20)
- that we do not become a drunk or an alcoholic (23:31)
- that we fear the Lord (23:17)
- that we give our hearts to Jesus and delight in His ways (23:26)
- that we are disciplined in studying God's words (23:12)
- that we listen to God's words and gain wisdom (23:19)
- that we seek out valuable truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding (23:23)
- that we listen to and respect our parents (23:22)
- that we are not afraid to discipline our children (23:13-14)
- that we do not waste our energy trying to counsel a fool (23:9)
Today's prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for godly parents. Even if and when parents are not godly, give wisdom to the children to know how to love and respect them anyway. Give parents the wisdom to know how to raise godly children. Help guide us in the way we should go.
Give us a heart for You and a desire to know the Bible better, so that we will remain steadfast. The more we love Your ways, the less we will envy sinners. The more we know Your words of truth, the less likely we will be deceived into a sinful and destructive lifestyle. Protect us from the cunning, and protect us from the fool. Help us to be content, and realize that our joy and our wealth is with You. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment